The present invention relates to a catheter with a locking device, more specifically, the catheter with the locking device which is integrally attached to the catheter to secure the catheter in a looped condition.
Catheters have been commonly used in various operations in the operating theater. According to the kind and object of the catheters, the catheters have various lengths. In some cases, the catheter has almost the same length as the height of the patient. If the catheter is relatively short, a manufactured catheter is retained in straight, but if the catheter is long, the catheter is looped and retained in hoop. In the straight or looped condition, the catheter is packed in a package.
Before use, a catheter has to be taken out from a package and prepared for use. In case a catheter is long, a catheter is looped or wound for easy handling and is left on top of a sterile cart. The catheter may be looped after use.
Although the catheter is looped or wound before or after use in the operating theater, there is no specific device for retaining the catheter in the looped condition. Therefore, the looped catheter may be accidentally unwound to cause a trouble.
In some catheters, a built-in hook is formed in a catheter hub. However, there is no specific method for locking the catheter in loop securely by the hook, so that there is always a chance to unwind itself inadvertently.
If the catheter is unwound and is dropped on a floor before it is used, the catheter may be contaminated. Thus, the catheter may not be used any more. After the catheter is used, since the catheter is put inside the patient's artery in many cases, the used catheter is ontaminated with patient's blood or body liquid and is very hazardous to the doctors and nurses. Thus, if the used catheter is unwind itself, it causes a trouble to doctors and nurses.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a catheter with a locking device, in which a catheter can be looped and locked into the locking device securely for easy handling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a catheter with a locking device as stated above, in which the catheter can be easily locked in a hoop condition and unlocked from the looped condition.
A further object of the invention is to provide a catheter with a locking device as stated above, in which the locking device can be applied to a regular catheter.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.